The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) will hold a series of rallies throughout the country in early September this year to protest against anti-union activities and prolonged unresolved trade disputes in the country.

Its secretary-general G Rajasekaran said more than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the rallies which will also be organised in the form of pickets.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day Solidarity Seminar organised by the Japan Council of Metalworkers' Unions in Kuala Lumpur today, Rajasekaran said that globalisation is seriously threatening workers' rights in most Asean countries.

In Malaysia, he said, despite many memorandum and appeals to the government, anti-union activities, denial of union recognition and collective bargaining, inordinate delay in settlement of dismissal cases and trade disputes has increased tremendously in the last five years.

"Massive and unrestricted recruitment of foreign workers in all sectors has encouraged unscrupulous employers to deny wage increases.

"Many (employers) are also demanding to remove annual increments and annual bonuses secured through years of collective bargaining," the MTUC leader said.

Not complying with act

Rajasekaran also cited a series of cases, including Japan-based companies who have refused to comply with the provision of the Malaysian Industrial Relations Act.

"They have openly defied the directive of the Human Resources Minister requesting them to accord recognition to the act," he lamented.

He appealed to Japanese trade unions to extend solidarity assistance by taking up labour relation issues with their parent companies in Japan.

The Kuala Lumpur seminar, aimed at enabling participants to understand the issues and challenges facing metal workers and find ways to establish greater solidarity, saw the participation of some 60 unionists from the region.